looking at the truth, without and within.
- Someone despises me.
That’s their problem.Mine: not to do or say anything despicable.Someone hates me. Their problem.Mine: to be patient and cheerful with everyone, including
them. Ready to show them their mistake. Not spitefully, or to
show off my own self-control, but in an honest, upright way.
Like Phocion (if he wasn’t just pretending). That’s what we
should be like inside, and never let the gods catch us feeling
anger or resentment.
As long as you do what’s proper to your nature, and accept
what the world’s nature has in store—as long as you work
for others’ good, by any and all means—what is there that
can harm you?
- They flatter one another out of contempt, and their desire
to rule one another makes them bow and scrape. - The despicable phoniness of people who say, “Listen,
I’m going to level with you here.” What does that mean? It
shouldn’t even need to be said. It should be obvious—
written in block letters on your forehead. It should be audible